Teach me to brew oolong

Semi-oxidized tea
AndreiC
Vendor
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2022 11:56 am
Location: Providence
Contact:

Wed Sep 28, 2022 12:24 pm

The best way to brew an oolong tea is KungFu style:
Rinse the teaware with hot water.
Fill the teapot or gaiwan 1/2 full with leaves.
Add hot water to rinse the leaves and discard the water.
Add hot water again and steep for just 5 seconds before serving.
For the second brew increase the steeping time to 8 seconds.
For the third brew increase the steeping time to 15 seconds.
You can adjust the steeping time after first steep according to your preferences, if you like it a little stronger steep it a little longer.
Mount Alishan is a great region for tea.
Check out the Tie Guan Yin oolong too, its an amazing tea
Last edited by pedant on Wed Sep 28, 2022 9:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: mod edit: removed link
User avatar
LeoFox
Posts: 1775
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2020 4:01 pm
Location: Washington DC

Wed Sep 28, 2022 2:19 pm

AndreiC wrote:
Wed Sep 28, 2022 12:24 pm
The best way to brew an oolong tea is KungFu style:
Rinse the teaware with hot water.
Fill the teapot or gaiwan 1/2 full with leaves.
Add hot water to rinse the leaves and discard the water.
Add hot water again and steep for just 5 seconds before serving.
For the second brew increase the steeping time to 8 seconds.
For the third brew increase the steeping time to 15 seconds.
You can adjust the steeping time after first steep according to your preferences, if you like it a little stronger steep it a little longer.
Mount Alishan is a great region for tea.
Check out the Tie Guan Yin oolong too, its an amazing tea
You are a vendor pushing your tea? Those parameters make almost no sense with ball rolled oolong
AndreiC
Vendor
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2022 11:56 am
Location: Providence
Contact:

Wed Sep 28, 2022 5:02 pm

I am pushing my tea. This brewing style is suitable for any kind of oolong. This is the way a tea master taught me and I've been practicing it for years and always got the best out of my tea, the timing might vary but the technique is right.
User avatar
Bok
Vendor
Posts: 5779
Joined: Wed Oct 04, 2017 8:55 am
Location: Taiwan

Wed Sep 28, 2022 7:32 pm

Always be wary if anyone is telling you this way or that tea is "the best". It all depends and there is not "the" way to do things...
User avatar
Bok
Vendor
Posts: 5779
Joined: Wed Oct 04, 2017 8:55 am
Location: Taiwan

Wed Sep 28, 2022 7:34 pm

LeoFox wrote:
Wed Sep 28, 2022 2:19 pm
Those parameters make almost no sense with ball rolled oolong
Agreed, rolled oolong certainly benefits from a longer first infusion to let the balls slowly open (unless one rinses, but good tea doesn't need a rinse).
User avatar
pedant
Admin
Posts: 1516
Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2017 4:35 am
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Wed Sep 28, 2022 9:47 pm

AndreiC wrote:
Wed Sep 28, 2022 12:24 pm
Check out the Tie Guan Yin oolong too, its an amazing tea
please don't self-promote outside of your vendor thread. see the rules for more info. ty

i thought your brewing advice sounded reasonable but it totally depends on the tea. but filling a gaiwan up half way with rolled leaf sounds like a ton of leaf, heh
User avatar
debunix
Posts: 1811
Joined: Sat Oct 21, 2017 1:27 am
Location: Los Angeles, CA

Thu Sep 29, 2022 3:05 am

filling a brewing vessel halfway full of tightly rolled oolong tea would make a nice demonstration of the power of absorption to expand until the leaves push the lid aside and make their escape over the top
AndreiC
Vendor
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2022 11:56 am
Location: Providence
Contact:

Thu Sep 29, 2022 11:09 am

pedant wrote:
Wed Sep 28, 2022 9:47 pm
AndreiC wrote:
Wed Sep 28, 2022 12:24 pm
Check out the Tie Guan Yin oolong too, its an amazing tea
please don't self-promote outside of your vendor thread. see the rules for more info. ty

i thought your brewing advice sounded reasonable but it totally depends on the tea. but filling a gaiwan up half way with rolled leaf sounds like a ton of leaf, heh
True, half of gaiwan of rolled leaf is too much, I usually put enough just to cover the bottom of the gaiwan. Oolong that doesn't expand, like Da Hong Pao, requires more leaf, not necessary half a gaiwan but that depends on the quality of the tea.
AndreiC
Vendor
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2022 11:56 am
Location: Providence
Contact:

Thu Sep 29, 2022 11:16 am

LeoFox wrote:
Wed Sep 28, 2022 2:19 pm
AndreiC wrote:
Wed Sep 28, 2022 12:24 pm
The best way to brew an oolong tea is KungFu style:
Rinse the teaware with hot water.
Fill the teapot or gaiwan 1/2 full with leaves.
Add hot water to rinse the leaves and discard the water.
Add hot water again and steep for just 5 seconds before serving.
For the second brew increase the steeping time to 8 seconds.
For the third brew increase the steeping time to 15 seconds.
You can adjust the steeping time after first steep according to your preferences, if you like it a little stronger steep it a little longer.
Mount Alishan is a great region for tea.
Check out the Tie Guan Yin oolong too, its an amazing tea
You are a vendor pushing your tea? Those parameters make almost no sense with ball rolled oolong
I read through the chat and I can see that you suggested the same technique of brewing
User avatar
LeoFox
Posts: 1775
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2020 4:01 pm
Location: Washington DC

Thu Sep 29, 2022 12:22 pm

AndreiC wrote:
Thu Sep 29, 2022 11:16 am
LeoFox wrote:
Wed Sep 28, 2022 2:19 pm
AndreiC wrote:
Wed Sep 28, 2022 12:24 pm
The best way to brew an oolong tea is KungFu style:
Rinse the teaware with hot water.
Fill the teapot or gaiwan 1/2 full with leaves.
Add hot water to rinse the leaves and discard the water.
Add hot water again and steep for just 5 seconds before serving.
For the second brew increase the steeping time to 8 seconds.
For the third brew increase the steeping time to 15 seconds.
You can adjust the steeping time after first steep according to your preferences, if you like it a little stronger steep it a little longer.
Mount Alishan is a great region for tea.
Check out the Tie Guan Yin oolong too, its an amazing tea
You are a vendor pushing your tea? Those parameters make almost no sense with ball rolled oolong
I read through the chat and I can see that you suggested the same technique of brewing
Definitely not the same.

Your method is:
Fill the teapot or gaiwan 1/2 full with leaves.
Add hot water to rinse the leaves and discard the water.
Add hot water again and steep for just 5 seconds before serving.
For the second brew increase the steeping time to 8 seconds.
For the third brew increase the steeping time to 15 seconds.
Mine recommended above is
Throw in 10-12g [for 200 ml pot]. Do a quick rinse and then start with 35 seconds, and then 30 seconds, 35 seconds and so on.
GailC
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Aug 20, 2022 9:46 pm
Location: Idaho

Sun Oct 09, 2022 9:02 pm

Baisao wrote:
Sun Sep 25, 2022 10:14 pm
Ethan Kurland wrote:
Sun Sep 25, 2022 9:34 am
GailC wrote:
Sun Sep 25, 2022 9:28 am
don't know much about it besides its from Alishan High Mountain in Taiwan.
I've asked the harvest year
Where was the tea purchased? Who sold it? (It could have been bought at a tea-growing spot but grown elsewhere.)
Additionally, “milk oolong” is often faked with a light application of non-dairy creamer, maltose, or something like that. I can’t see it but I can feel it in my hands. It’s a light, powdery residue that gets sticky with the humidity in my hands.

GailC, so-called milk oolong (jin xuan) should not have a milk flavor but a creamy, milk-like texture. A milk flavor is a sure sign of a faked jin xuan. And not every harvest of jin xuan has this sought after texture.

The above advice to use off boil water assumes you have good quality leaves and the requisite skill to them. Bitter and astringent compounds go into solution more easily the higher the water temperature is.

Try the above advice. It’s good advice. And if you find it astringent, drop the temp to no lower than 193°f/90°c. Then up your game by finding better quality jin xuan and building out your skills until you can use boiling water every time.
I bought it from etsy from a shop called Oriarm, its the same place I've been buying my lao cha tou.
Its from a spring 2022 harvest. There is no milky flavor, just a slight creaminess I can't quite describe. The flavor is nice but its a bit too spinachy.
I don't know if it exists, but I'd really like a milk oolong that is more oxidized as green tea isn't a favorite.
Attachments
20221004_065442.jpg
20221004_065442.jpg (143.15 KiB) Viewed 2420 times
User avatar
Baisao
Posts: 1396
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2017 5:17 pm
Location: ATX

Sun Oct 09, 2022 9:46 pm

@GailC, how may grams of tea did you use? How many ml is the teapot?

I’d expect to see more wrinkles on the leaves and the edges less torn. Was this in balls or pellets?
GailC
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Aug 20, 2022 9:46 pm
Location: Idaho

Mon Oct 10, 2022 6:02 am

Baisao wrote:
Sun Oct 09, 2022 9:46 pm
GailC, how may grams of tea did you use? How many ml is the teapot?

I’d expect to see more wrinkles on the leaves and the edges less torn. Was this in balls or pellets?
3-4 grams, 250 ml pot. I guess they would be balls, not really sure what the difference is.
I checked the leaves closer, the tears seem to be insect damage and there are bite marks in the center of some leaves.
Attachments
20221010_035926.jpg
20221010_035926.jpg (186.6 KiB) Viewed 2376 times
User avatar
Baisao
Posts: 1396
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2017 5:17 pm
Location: ATX

Mon Oct 10, 2022 9:29 am

GailC wrote:
Mon Oct 10, 2022 6:02 am
Baisao wrote:
Sun Oct 09, 2022 9:46 pm
GailC, how may grams of tea did you use? How many ml is the teapot?

I’d expect to see more wrinkles on the leaves and the edges less torn. Was this in balls or pellets?
3-4 grams, 250 ml pot. I guess they would be balls, not really sure what the difference is.
I checked the leaves closer, the tears seem to be insect damage and there are bite marks in the center of some leaves.
Image
That's what most of us mean when we refer to ball shape. The good news is that it is real jin xuan based upon the vein pattern I see, but a lot depends upon processing.

The absence of wrinkles can indicate that it was steeped too long, too little leaf was used, or this is the end of a very long session.

It should not be spinach-y at all. It should be light, delicate, orchid-gardenia florals, with cream-like texture. If you have a gram scale, use 6g/100ml as a starting point. If you do not have a scale, add leaf to cover the bottom just enough that you can see the bottom of the pot in some places. I prefer a scale for starting out and for standardized tasting sessions.
GailC
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Aug 20, 2022 9:46 pm
Location: Idaho

Mon Oct 10, 2022 3:55 pm

Baisao wrote: That's what most of us mean when we refer to ball shape. The good news is that it is real jin xuan based upon the vein pattern I see, but a lot depends upon processing.

The absence of wrinkles can indicate that it was steeped too long, too little leaf was used, or this is the end of a very long session.

It should not be spinach-y at all. It should be light, delicate, orchid-gardenia florals, with cream-like texture. If you have a gram scale, use 6g/100ml as a starting point. If you do not have a scale, add leaf to cover the bottom just enough that you can see the bottom of the pot in some places. I prefer a scale for starting out and for standardized tasting sessions.
I tend to over steep as I like a full flavor, too delicate and I can't taste it. I'll try more for a shorter steep and see if it helps.

The only other tea I drink is puer and sometimes I let it steep overnight😳
Post Reply